


right here, write now

by PitchonthePitch



Series: AUgust Soulmate AU's [7]
Category: Carry On Series - Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Arguing, Aromantic Agatha Wellbelove, Jealousy, M/M, Pining, Protective Simon Snow, Sad Tyrannus Basilton "Baz" Pitch, Smoking, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Unresolved Sexual Tension, just a little bit tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-08
Updated: 2019-08-08
Packaged: 2020-08-11 19:54:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20159188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PitchonthePitch/pseuds/PitchonthePitch
Summary: Soulmate AUWrite - Anything you write on your own skin appears on your soulmate’s.Simon just wants to know if Baz and Agatha are soulmates.  Nobody really wants to tell him anything, until finally, Agatha does.  But while he's finding out the truth about Agatha, someone else already knows the truth about Baz.





	right here, write now

“Baz, will you go to the Winter Ball with me?”

A hush came over the Watford dining hall. Everyone seemed to lean in to try and hear what Baz would say. Across the table from him, Dev and Niall shot each other sly looks.

Finally, he answered. “Sure, Wellbelove.”

With his words, the spell was broken. The dining hall erupted into chatter, wolf whistles, and even some clapping from people who had been shipping the two of them for years.

However, no one was louder than Simon Snow. His chair fell down with a clatter as he stood up to storm his way over to Baz’s table. Left alone at Simon’s table, Penelope Bunce sighed and used a spell to lift the chair back into place. She was well used to her best friend’s antics by now, especially his antics involving Baz.

As Agatha saw Simon approaching, she left the dining hall with a roll of her eyes. Like Penny, she was well used to Simon and Baz’s drama.

Simon didn’t chase after her. “Baz,” he said, “you’re going to the ball with Agatha?”

Baz didn’t even bother standing from his table. He merely looked up at Simon with a cool look. “Would appear so, Snow. Why? Are you jealous?”

Simon made an annoyed noise at the back of his throat. “Are you two soulmates or not? If you are, fine, but I don’t see why you have to be so secretive. Just tell people.” As if on cue, he pulled a marker out of his pocket and offered it to Baz. “Prove she’s your soulmate, and I’ll leave you two alone for good.”

“I have nothing to prove to you, Snow.”

Simon huffed. Baz was always so evasive. Why couldn’t he just write something on his arm, so Simon could know for sure that he and Agatha were soulmates? To Simon, the answer was clear: the two of them weren’t really soulmates. Baz just wanted to mess around with the prettiest girl at school. Well, Simon wouldn’t let him. Agatha was his friend, and even though she could be stubborn and downright reckless, he wasn’t going to let her get the life sucked out of her by a handsome vampire. “If you don’t really care about her, then stay away from her. She doesn’t need to be involved with someone as dangerous as you.”

Baz examined his nails, not paying Simon any mind at all. Dammit. Why did he always have to be so calm and collected, even as he was picking Simon apart and making him lose his bloody temper? “I think Wellbelove can decide on her own whether she needs to be involved with me.” His voice got nearly sultry when he said those words, ‘needs’ and ‘involved.’ Was he trying to piss Simon off?

Simon opened his mouth, probably to throw more insults and accusations at Baz. He was stopped short when a hand tugged on his arm. He turned and found Penny staring up at him imploringly. “Simon, come on,” she said. “He’s never going to give you a straight answer. Let’s just go find Agatha and ask her what’s going on between them.”

Simon looked back at Baz. He was smirking. Bastard.

He turned back to Penny. “Fine. Let’s go.”

When Agatha wanted to be alone, she either went to her room or the lacrosse field. Simon and Penny headed towards the field, hoping they’d get lucky. The wards prevented Simon from entering the girls’ dorms, so he wouldn’t be able to talk to Agatha if she had gone to her room.

As they walked toward the field, Simon’s mind wandered to his own soulmate. Simon’s soulmate used to be his main focus and favorite person, even though he never technically met them. They both left each other little messages and drawings. Often, when Simon woke up, he would find a star somewhere on his body. He drew his own stars for his soulmate to find. Sometimes he even drew constellations connecting his moles. He liked to imagine if he ever met his soulmate, they’d remember the constellations and run their fingers across his moles lovingly.

That fantasy was shattered when Simon’s soulmate abruptly stopped writing to him in fifth year. The stars, the little notes, everything disappeared. Simon never knew why. One minute, he was complaining to his soulmate about his roommate, and the next minute, he was complaining to nobody at all. He remembered his soulmate had offered to beat up his roommate for him. Simon wrote back, “No thanks. I’m pretty sure Baz is a vampire, and I prefer you alive.” That was the last conversation they ever had.

Since then, Simon tried his best to focus on the people around him. He knew he could go a little overboard at times, but he just couldn’t hold back with the people he loved. Simon had always been a loving person, but he rarely had people to give his love to. He didn’t have a family. Until he went to Watford, he didn’t have friends. The only constant he ever had in his life was his soulmate. Now, even they were gone.

But Penny and Agatha weren’t. He would do whatever he needed to protect them and keep them around.

Agatha was practicing drills by herself when they found her. She shot the ball into the goal, not yet noticing Simon and Penny.

When it went through, Penny cheered. “She shoots, she scores!”

Agatha turned to give Penny an unimpressed look. “What are you two doing here?”

Simon answered. “We came to talk to you.”

“We have nothing to talk about, Simon.” Agatha leaned on her lacrosse stick to glower at him. “I know how you feel about Baz. But I’m not a princess, and I’m no one’s prize. I can take care of myself.”

“No offense,” Simon said, “but unless that stick doubles as a stake, I don’t see how you can take care of yourself where Baz is concerned.”

“Simon.” Penny gave him a look. She had told him several times over the years that Agatha was perfectly capable of making her own decisions. (“Yes, Simon, even when that decision is to flirt with your roommate.”)

But Simon wouldn’t hear her out this time. He could handle watching Agatha flirt with Baz. But asking him on a date was another thing entirely. He couldn’t let Agatha continue down this route; it was too dangerous. He understood what she saw in Baz: he was good-looking, the school’s best football player and one of the best magicians Watford had ever seen. But he was also a vampire. Simon may not have found proof yet, but he didn’t need proof. He knew in his heart that Baz was a vampire, the same way he knew Penny was his best friend.

“Is he your soulmate?” he asked Agatha. “Because I can’t think of any other reason to justify asking him out. He’s a vampire; I tell you all the time how dangerous he is.”

“I’m not looking for a soulmate, Simon. I’m just looking for a date for the Winter Ball.”

“Fine,” he said. “I’ll be your date.”

“Not you.”

“Why not? Why does your date have to be Baz? Why my evil, bloodsucking roommate, out of all people?” Penny was tugging on his arm, telling him to stop, but Simon couldn’t. He had spent enough time wondering what was going on between Baz and Agatha. He needed an answer, before things went any further between them.

Agatha sighed. She let her lacrosse stick fall to the ground with a thud. “I’m gonna show you something,” she said. “Give me that marker you’re always carrying around.”

The three of them sat in a misshapen circle in front of the goal post. Agatha held up the marker, poised above her wrist. “I’m about to show you why I asked Baz to the ball.”

Simon furrowed a brow. “Shouldn’t Baz be here? How can we know he’s your soulmate if we can’t see your drawings appear on his skin?”

“Just watch, Simon.”

Penny was frowning. “Agatha, you don’t have to--”

“I want to. You two are my friends. I want you to know who I really am.”

Agatha pressed the marker against her skin. She swirled the marker into a few smooth loops. When she was done, she showed the picture to Simon and Penny. A cartoon bumblebee looked back at them. “Watch closely,” she said.

After a second, something happened to the drawing. It appeared to double in size, like someone overlayed a second bumblebee image on top of the first one.

Penny spoke first. “Did I just see what I think I saw?”

“I can show you again.” Agatha pulled her wrist back and added something else with the marker. She flashed her wrist at them again. This time, the word _BUZZ_ was written next to the bumblebee in thick black letters.

One second later, the letters were so thick they became illegible. They blended into one big, oblong smudge on Agatha’s wrist.

“Whoa,” Penny said. She pulled Agatha’s wrist closer, examining it with wonder. “Everything you draw on yourself appears twice. You basically have a superpower!”

“Pretty lame superpower,” Agatha said, pulling her wrist back. “But if you want to start calling me super, I won’t stop you.”

“I don’t understand,” Simon said, “why are the marks appearing twice on your skin?”

“I’m my own soulmate,” Agatha explained. “I’m aromantic; I don’t get romantic feelings for people.”

“So,” Simon said, “you don’t have feelings for Baz?”

“No. I didn’t ask Baz to the ball because I have feelings for him. I asked him because…” Agatha broke off, letting out a little sigh. “He never talks about his soulmate. I’ve been wondering if, maybe, he’s like me.”

“Oh, Agatha,” Penny said.

“Don’t get me wrong. I don’t have a problem with who I am. I’m perfectly happy being aromantic. But…” Agatha let her hair loose from her ponytail, looking frustrated. “Most people don’t even know what the word ‘aromantic’ means. I don’t want a boyfriend. But I would like a friend who understands me.” She hugged her arms around her knees. She looked smaller, tucked in on herself that way.

Penny turned to Simon with a mean look. “Congratulations, Simon. Agatha’s coming out story will be forever marred by your unnecessary antics with Baz.”

Agatha spoke up. “Actually, as far as coming-out’s go, I think it went rather well--”

“Agatha, please. You’re an angel, and we’re thrilled you’re here. Simon, close your eyes.”

“Why?” Simon said.

“Don’t ask questions. I have had enough of this drama.”

Simon did as Penny said. With his eyes closed, he felt the light brush of the marker against the palm of his hand. After a minute, she spoke. “Okay, you can open your eyes again.”

When Simon looked down at his hand, a big black smudge stared back up at him. “So, this is my punishment?” he said, holding up his stained hand. “I have to walk around with a big smudge the rest of the day?”

“Sure,” Penny said.

Well, he could live with that punishment. After all, he did sort of force Agatha to come out on his terms instead of hers. “Agatha, I’m so sorry,” he said. “I still don’t trust Baz, and I’m scared of what might happen if you become friends with him--”

“Simon,” Penny chided.

“But,” he added, “I shouldn’t have been so hard on you about Baz. I didn’t realize you were just looking for somebody who’s like you.” Was Baz aromantic? He never dated, even though he had his pick of any girl in the school. “I’m sorry you had to come out just to get me off your back.”

“You shouldn’t feel too bad,” Agatha said. “I was planning on coming out to you guys, anyway. But I appreciate the apology, Simon. Thank you.”

“Well, my work here is done,” Penny said. “I’d love to stay, but unfortunately I have to meet someone. I’ll see you guys later.”

“Bye, Penny.”

“Bye, Pen!”

The two of them stayed sitting on the field. They were both quiet for a moment, processing the events of the day. After a moment, Simon spoke. “I’m pretty sure I know someone you can talk to,” he offered. “Ebb the Goatherder once told me she doesn’t have a soulmate. Maybe she’s aromantic, too.”

“Will you introduce me?” Agatha asked.

“Of course.” Simon was glad he could help Agatha out even in such a small way. And if Agatha had someone to talk to who _wasn’t_ his handsome vampire roommate, well, then he would be all the happier.

***

Baz was in his room when he got the message on his hand. _MEET ME ON THE RAMPARTS NOW._

With a shaky hand, he wrote back. _Ok._ His palms were sweating. He wiped them down on his pants. The right one came away smudged and illegible. Great. Now Snow would know he had sweaty palms.

How had Snow figured him out?

Baz had stopped writing to him, full-stop, all the way back in fifth year. Snow still drew him the occasional star and constellation, but he hadn’t written Baz a message in years. How did Snow figure out he was his soulmate? (More importantly, if Snow knew that Baz was his soulmate, then was Snow also aware of Baz’s obsession with his moles? When Snow started drawing lines connecting them together, Baz just figured the universe was mocking him. But had the one mocking him been Snow all along?)

He walked to the ramparts in a daze, wondering what confrontation awaited him there. Why hadn’t Snow just found him in their room? Had he always been so dramatic?

Then again, this was the same guy who told him to stay away from Wellbelove in front of basically their whole school. Subtlety wasn’t exactly Simon Snow’s strong suit.

He got to the ramparts before Snow did. He lit up a cigarette and waited, trying to calm his shaking hands. Ten minutes passed, and he wondered if the whole thing had been a joke. Maybe Snow was trying to get back at Baz for offering him up to a chimera all those years ago. (Honestly, he needed to let that one go.) (The chimera hadn’t actually _eaten _him or anything.) He finished off his cigarette and flicked the remains over the edge of the railing. He leaned against the railing and watched the cigarette end float towards the ground, bits and pieces of it falling off and disintegrating all along the way.

A voice cut through his revery. “Hello, Basil.”

He stiffened. That voice didn’t sound like Snow. It sounded like…

“Hello, Bunce. Fancy meeting you here.” He turned and shined a cool smile at her, trying to hide his disappointment. “Snow couldn’t make it?”

“Simon doesn’t know I sent you a message -- because Simon doesn’t know you’re his soulmate.”

Baz hesitated, wanting to deny the obvious truth. Denial had been his life for the past eighteen years, after all.

But right now, he couldn’t deny anything. Bunce knew. She sent that message, and Baz responded. Now here he was on the ramparts, waiting for Snow. The truth was obvious: Baz Pitch was Simon Snow’s soulmate.

And Snow still didn’t know.

“But you do,” he said. He let the statement hang in the air, with all of its implications.

“Honestly?” Bunce said. “You two are kind of obvious. Simon follows you around like a puppy. A really angry puppy that wants to bite the hell out of you, but a puppy nonetheless.” She cast a look on Baz, raising a brow. Bunce could be very intimidating when she wanted to be. “Then there’s you,” she said. “Why wear long sleeves all the time, unless you’re hiding something? Simon draws on himself all the time. You couldn’t risk him drawing a heart on his arm and then finding you with an identical one on yours.”

She was right. Baz said nothing in his defense. He leaned his back against the railing in defeat, and thought about lighting up another cigarette. Aunt Fiona would warn him he was flammable, but then again, so was everything. And nothing made him want to burn like Simon Snow -- Simon Snow and the clusterfuck that was their sad love story.

Bunce broke him out of his thoughts. “You should tell him,” she said, and her voice was gentle but it cut like a knife. _You should tell him._ Like Baz had never considered that option before. He turned away from her, looking over the campus below the ramparts. He saw a few blond heads walking about. He wondered if any of them were Snow.

“Snow doesn’t want me for a soulmate. He can barely stand the sight of me with his best friend. What do you think he would do if I ever tried to--” He broke off, unwilling to share all the fantasies he had stored up of Simon Snow. Telling him the truth. Hooking his fingers through those golden curls of his. Kissing constellations up and down every last one of those moles.

“First of all,” Bunce said, _“I’m_ Simon’s best friend. Second of all, you two are soulmates. Of course he wants you. He just doesn’t know he wants you yet.”

“What Snow wants is a happy ending. It’s what he deserves. It’s what I can never give him.” Now he did light up a second cigarette. Everything was flammable, right? “I’m the villain of our story. Snow and me don’t end with happily ever after. We only end in flames.”

“Maybe,” she said. “Maybe not. Either way, he deserves to know the truth. You’re not the only one who has a say in how your story ends, Basil.” She started to leave. “Oh, and for the record,” she called back. “You’re not the villain of our story. The Humdrum is. There are much bigger fights ahead than silly lover’s spats.” She went off then, her purple locks flying behind her in the wind. They were the last thing he saw of her before she disappeared into darkness.

He finished off his cigarette. Flicked it over the railing. Watched it go, falling apart all along the way. Some things were only meant to burn.

He took out the marker he always kept on hand, just in case he was ever dying and needed to send a goodbye note to Snow. He hesitated, the marker poised just above his skin, before he decided what to draw.

A small star on his wrist, just above where he knew one of Snow’s moles resided.

A moment passed before anything happened. Finally, a note. The first one Snow had written to him since fifth year.

_Welcome back._


End file.
